Pietschs to be featured at Sunday's airshow

(Photo submitted) The Hoppers will demonstrate the capability of planes previously used by Communist counties, featuring five L39 Albatross aircraft.

This year, Kent and Warren Pietsch - pilots and operators of the Pietsch Airshow will be featured as they take to the air for their comedy act, dead stick act, aerobatic act and performing dual act.

They will be joined high above Spencer by Steve Falon, of the Sierra Hotel Airshow in his Pitts S2B; and The Hoppers five L39 Albatross aircraft fleet.

The pancake breakfast will be served from 7-11 a.m. in the big hangar at the airport located in west Spencer. The airshow is set to get underway at 10:30 a.m.

The Young Eagles event, offering free airplane rides to kids ages 8-17, will take place between 7-10 a.m. Participants can register at the Orange Quoncet Hangar. A parent or guardian must be present for children to participate.

Displays featuring the Iowa Lakes Community College aviation program; Powder Puff Pilot, with pilot supplies for women; Aaron McCartan with The Doug Yost Challenge Aerobatic Competition Event - set for Aug. 14-16 at the Spencer-based airport; and multiple static aircraft including a P51 Mustang, Stearman, Bamboo Bomber, T-6, T-34 and others.

Kent Pietsch will be doing the Comedy Act and the Dead Stick Act in his Interstate (Jelly Belly) airplane; while Warren will be doing the Aerobatic Act in the Taylorcraft. Both pilots will work together in the Dual Act.

(Photo Submitted) The Pietschs, Kent and Warren, will perform solo acts as well as together to conclude Sunday's airshow at the Northwest Iowa Regional Airport.

Al Pietsch, his family and friends, founded Pietsch Air Shows in 1968. Kent and Warren, Al's sons, have continued the family oriented air shows, and Jelly Belly® now sponsors flying ace Kent.

Kent in his 1942 Interstate Cadet, flies a comedy act, which includes extreme maneuvers, such as the aileron falling off in mid air. In addition, Kent performs a dead stick (total power off) aerobatic routine from an altitude of 6,000 feet. The finale of this performance includes Kent landing in front of the crowd and placing the spinner into the hand of an individual.

Warren flies high-energy aerobatics.. The acts have a combination of classic and gyroscopic aerobatic maneuvers.

The Hoppers will perform and demonstrate the skills of planes that come from countries formally at odds with the United States. The five-pilot team will stresses the importance of people to remember and for young kids to learn so that history does not repeat itself. The pilots have made friends with many people from former Communist countries and it is not uncommon for a Hopper to be on his cell phone with someone from Czechoslovakia or Russia on their cell phone, ordering a part or solving a technical issue. Hack was trained by a former Russian instructor pilot who now lives in the United States. Mildred, Grasshopper, Skids and Snowflake were trained by a former USAF instructor pilot.

The key to The Hoppers mission is interacting with the kids at airshows.

Mildred said, "I enjoy demonstrating the L-39 flight capabilities and formation/aerobatic maneuvering as a flight team. But. . . my greatest pleasure is meeting kids everywhere, who share a fascination for jet airplanes.

Steve Falon's dad, Ray Falon, was a charter member of the South Dakota Air National Guard in 1946, and is a member of the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame. The flight instructor and taught son, Steve to fly in the 1960s.

Steve's flying began in Cherokee 140s. . His first airplane was a Mirage Ultralite. Since then, he has owned a Sonerai, RV-4, Christen Eagle, Pitts S2B and now flies the Pitts Special S1S in his air show routine.

(Photo Submitted) Kent Pietsch will fly the Jelly Belly Interstate airplane when he perfoms both his comedy and dead stick acts.

The Pitts Special, first developed and flown by Curtis Pitts in the early 1940s, has been the "best bang for the buck" aerobatic biplane for 60 years. Steve's 2000 model Pitts S1S was originally built by a master airplane builder, John Lafferty, in Austin, Minn. John built the airplane exactly as Curtis Pitts designed it.

The Pitts is powered by a stock 180 hp Lycoming engine with a fixed pitch propeller. It has an empty weight of only 770 pounds which provides an excellent weight to horsepower ratio. As a result, the Pitts is an impressive little performer.

During Steve's air show routine the airplane will meet its design limits of 6-plus Gs and -3 Gs. While gathering energy the airplane will attain speeds in excess of 200 mph and slow to almost 0 mph on the top of some maneuvers.

In addition, the super-sonic propeller tips and billowing smoke system provides spectators with an impressive air show experience.

(Photo Submitted) The Hoppers will be crowd favorites, offering formation flying and high speed maneuvers.

26th Annual Northwest Iowa Regional Airport Breakfast/Airshow

Performers this year include:

Steve Falon -- Sierra Hotel Airshow -- Pitts S2B

The Hoppers -- L39 Albatross -- Fleet of 5 Aircraft

Pietsche Airshow -- Kent Pietsche -- Comedy Act & **Dead Stick Act

Warren Pietsche -- Aerobatic Act

Kent & Warren -- Performing a Dual Act

For more information go to www.spenceriowaairshow.com